connector

Abstract

This prevents the split housing from falling out of the frame before the connector is mated with the mating connector, thereby improving the worker's work efficiency. [Solution] By operating the lever 30 of the connector 10 from a first operating angle to a second operating angle relative to the frame 11, the second insertion groove 43 of the slide piece 40 is positioned in the width direction Y away from the first insertion groove 58 of the frame 11, preventing the protrusion 22 of the split housing 20 from coming out of the second insertion groove 43. When the lever 30 is at the second operating angle relative to the frame 11, it is positioned to enable mating between the split housing 20 and the mating connector 70.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a connector including a plurality of divided housings.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 describes a connector configured by housing a plurality of divided housings in a frame. In such a connector, fitting with a mating connector can be completed by fitting the divided housing into a fitting portion provided in the mating connector.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] In a connector, there is a configuration in which the tip of the divided housing protrudes from the frame. In a connector having such a configuration, when a load is applied to the tip of the divided housing, the divided housing may fall out of the frame. For example, there is concern that a strong load may be applied to the tip of the divided housing after assembly of the connector or when transporting the assembled connector. If the divided housing falls out of the frame, the operator has to re-house the divided housing in the frame each time, resulting in a decrease in workability. Therefore, there is room for improvement in the structure of the connector including the divided housing.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] The connector of this disclosure comprises a plurality of split housings that can be mated with a mating connector on the front side in the front-rear direction, a frame having a housing space for housing the plurality of split housings arranged in a width direction intersecting the front-rear direction, a sliding piece held slidably in the width direction relative to the frame, and a lever for sliding the sliding piece in the width direction, wherein the split housings are housed in the housing space with the front side that mates with the mating connector protruding from the frame, the split housings are provided with a protrusion in the vertical direction, and the frame is provided at the rear end and extends in the front-rear direction. The connector is equipped with a first insertion groove, and the sliding piece is provided on the rear end side and is equipped with a second insertion groove extending in the front-rear direction. When the lever is at a first operating angle with respect to the frame, the second insertion groove is positioned to align with the first insertion groove in the width direction, allowing the protrusion to be inserted into the first and second insertion grooves, thereby enabling the split housing to be housed in the housing space. When the lever is at a second operating angle with respect to the frame, the second insertion groove is positioned offset from the first insertion groove in the width direction, preventing the protrusion from coming out of the first and second insertion grooves, and enabling mating between the split housing and the mating connector on the front side. [Effects of the Invention]

[0006] The connector of this disclosure prevents the split housing from falling out of the frame before the assembled connector is mated with the mating connector, thereby improving the worker's work efficiency. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0007] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is a perspective view of the connector from the front at an oblique angle with a portion of the split housing removed. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is a front view of the connector, seen from the front. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is a perspective view of the connector from the rear at an oblique angle. [Figure 4] Figure 4 is a perspective view of the connector from the front at an oblique angle, with the split housing removed from the frame. [Figure 5]Figure 5 is a cross-sectional view taken at the AA section position in Figure 2, with the split housing omitted from the illustration. [Figure 6] Figure 6 is a cross-sectional view taken at the BB cross-sectional position in Figure 2, with the split housing omitted from the illustration. [Figure 7] Figure 7 is a perspective view of a pair of slide pieces seen from an oblique front angle. [Figure 8] Figure 8 is a cross-sectional view at the CC cross-sectional position shown in Figure 2, with the lever in the first position. [Figure 9] Figure 9 is a cross-sectional view at the CC cross-sectional position in Figure 2, with the lever in the second position. [Figure 10] Figure 10 is a cross-sectional view showing the semi-mating state with the mating connector at the CC cross-sectional position in Figure 2, with the lever in the second position. [Figure 11] Figure 11 is a cross-sectional view showing the mating state with the mating connector at the CC cross-sectional position in Figure 2, with the lever in the third position. [Figure 12] Figure 12 is a cross-sectional view showing the mating state with the mating connector at the AA cross-sectional position in Figure 2, with the lever in the third position. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0008] [Description of Embodiments in this Disclosure] First, the embodiments of this disclosure will be listed and described. [1] The connector according to the embodiment of the present disclosure comprises a plurality of split housings that can be mated with a mating connector on the front side in the front-rear direction, a frame having a housing space for housing the plurality of split housings arranged in a width direction intersecting the front-rear direction, a slide piece held slidably in the width direction relative to the frame, and a lever for sliding the slide piece in the width direction, wherein the split housings are housed in the housing space with the front side that mates with the mating connector protruding from the frame, the split housings are provided with a protrusion in the vertical direction, and the frame is provided on the rear end side, and in the front-rear direction The connector has a first insertion groove extending in the direction, and the sliding piece is provided on the rear end side and has a second insertion groove extending in the front-rear direction. When the lever is at a first operating angle with respect to the frame, the second insertion groove is positioned to align with the first insertion groove in the width direction, allowing the protrusion to be inserted into the first and second insertion grooves, enabling the split housing to be housed in the housing space. When the lever is at a second operating angle with respect to the frame, the second insertion groove is positioned offset from the first insertion groove in the width direction, preventing the protrusion from coming out of the first and second insertion grooves, and enabling mating between the split housing and the mating connector on the front side.

[0009] In the connector with the above configuration, when the worker assembles the split housing onto the frame, by setting the lever to a first operating angle relative to the frame, the slide piece is positioned so that the second insertion groove aligns with the first insertion groove of the frame in the width direction, allowing the protrusion of the split housing to be inserted into the first and second insertion grooves and housed in the housing space. Then, by operating the lever from the first operating angle to the second operating angle, the slide piece is positioned so that the second insertion groove is offset from the first insertion groove of the frame in the width direction, preventing the protrusion of the split housing housed in the housing space from coming out of the first and second insertion grooves. When the lever is at the second operating angle relative to the frame, the slide piece is positioned so that the split housing can be mated with the mating connector on the front side. As a result, when the worker has operated the lever from the first operating angle to the second operating angle and assembled the split housing onto the frame, the slide piece prevents the split housing from falling out of the frame and enables mating with the mating connector. This prevents the split housing from falling out of the frame before the assembled connector is mated with the mating connector, thereby improving the worker's work efficiency.

[0010] [2] In the connector described in [1] above, the frame is provided on the front end side and has an opening into which the mating protrusion of the mating connector is inserted, and the slide piece is provided on the front end side and has a groove into which the mating protrusion is inserted, and when the lever is at the second operating angle, the groove is positioned to align with the opening in the width direction, and the mating protrusion is inserted into the opening and the groove, enabling mating of the split housing and the mating connector, and when the lever moves from the second operating angle to the third operating angle with respect to the frame, the first insertion groove remains offset from the second insertion groove in the width direction, and the groove is positioned offset from the opening in the width direction, preventing the mating protrusion from coming out of the opening and the groove. This allows the operator to achieve both the dislodgement of the split housing from the frame and the mating and retention of the mating connector simply by operating the lever, further improving the operator's work efficiency.

[0011] [3] In the connector described in [2] above, the lever is configured to rotate in the front-rear direction about a pivot axis provided on one end of the frame in the width direction, the second operating angle is a larger angle than the first operating angle with respect to the frame in the width direction, and the third operating angle may be a larger angle than the first operating angle and a smaller angle than the second operating angle with respect to the width direction. As a result, after the split housing is assembled to the frame, the operating direction of the lever in the process of mating the connector to the other connector is in the opposite direction to when the split housing is assembled to the frame, making it easier for the worker to distinguish the operating direction of the lever in each process and enabling them to work intuitively.

[0012] [4] In the connector described in [3] above, the slide piece comprises a plate-like portion extending in the width direction, having a second insertion groove at its rear end and a groove at its front end, and an engagement groove extending in the front-rear direction from the plate-like portion, and the lever may be provided with an engagement shaft that slidably engages within the engagement groove, thereby converting the rotation of the lever around its rotation axis into a sliding motion of the plate-like portion in the width direction. In the above configuration, after assembling the split housing to the frame, in the process of fitting the mating connector to the connector, the slide edge slides in the opposite direction according to the operating direction of the lever and slides by an amount corresponding to different operating angles. Therefore, when operating the lever from the second operating angle to the third operating angle, the slide piece can accommodate both the widthwise displacement between the second insertion groove and the first insertion groove and the widthwise displacement between the groove and the opening without increasing the widthwise dimension of the plate-like portion. This suppresses an increase in the widthwise dimension of the plate-like portion, and consequently suppresses an increase in the size of the connector.

[0013] [5] In the connector described in any of [2] to [4] above, the frame may be provided with a lever locking portion for locking the lever when it is operated to a third operating angle. This prevents the lever from returning from the third operating angle to the second operating angle, thereby preventing the mating of the mating connector from being disengaged.

[0014] [6] In the split housing according to any one of [1] to [4] above, the frame may include a lock arm that engages with the split housing housed in the accommodation space. Thereby, the split housing housed in the accommodation space of the frame is engaged with the lock arm in addition to the slide piece and held, so that it is possible to more strongly prevent the split housing from falling out of the frame.

[0015] [Details of Embodiments of the Present Disclosure] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 12. The present disclosure is not limited to these examples, and is shown by the claims, and is intended to include all modifications within the meaning and scope equivalent to the claims. In each drawing, for convenience of explanation, a part of the configuration may be exaggerated or simplified.

[0016] In the following description, the direction in which the arrow X extends is referred to as the "front-rear direction X", the direction in which the arrow Y extends is referred to as the "width direction Y", and the direction in which the arrow Z extends is referred to as the "vertical direction Z". Note that for a plurality of identical members, only some of the members may be assigned reference numerals, and the reference numerals of other members may be omitted.

[0017] As shown in FIG. 1, the connector 10 mainly includes four split housings 20, a frame 11 that holds each split housing 20, and a lever 30. In the connector 10, as shown in FIG. 12, on the front side, it is configured to be able to be fitted with a mating connector 70.

[0018] As shown in FIG. 12, the mating connector 70 that fits into the connector 10 includes a mating housing 71 made of synthetic resin. The mating housing 71 is cylindrical and opens forward, and the tip side is a mating fitting portion 72 that fits into the connector 10. In the state where the connector 10 is fitted with the mating connector 70, the mating fitting portion 72 is housed inside the fitting space 57 provided on the front side of the connector 10, and the tip of the split housing 20 is inserted into the mating fitting portion 72, and the two are fitted together.

[0019] As shown in Figure 1, the split housing 20 is substantially block-shaped and has four terminal housing sections 21 inside for accommodating terminals. In this embodiment, the split housing 20 has two terminal housing sections 21 arranged in the width direction Y and the vertical direction Z. The upper and lower parts of the split housing 20 are each provided with protrusions 22. Each protrusion 22 is a part that is inserted into the respective insertion grooves of the frame 11 and the slide piece 40, as will be described later. In this embodiment, each protrusion 22 is provided on the rear end side of the split housing 20. At both ends of the split housing 20 in the width direction Y, there are engaged portions 23 that protrude in the width direction Y. The engaged portions 23 are parts that engage with the lock arm 54 provided inside the frame 11, as will be described later.

[0020] The frame 11 is made of synthetic resin and, as shown in Figures 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, comprises a block-shaped frame body 12 and a flange portion 13 that extends outward from the front end of the frame body 12. The frame body 12 is a hollow rectangular parallelepiped shape having a housing space 55 that penetrates in the front-rear direction X. As shown in Figures 1 and 3, the frame body 12 comprises an upper wall portion 50 and a lower wall portion 51 that are spaced apart by a predetermined distance in the vertical direction Z, and a pair of side wall portions 52 that connect the upper wall portion 50 and the lower wall portion 51. In the frame body 12, the space enclosed by the upper wall portion 50, the lower wall portion 51, and the pair of side wall portions 52 constitutes the housing space 55.

[0021] As shown in Figures 4 and 5, the housing space 55 comprises four housing holding spaces 56 that individually hold the divided housings 20, and a mating space 57 into which the mating mating portion 72 of the mating connector 70 is inserted and mated. The housing holding spaces 56 are located on the rear side of the frame body 12 and have openings corresponding to the outer shape of the divided housings 20. Specifically, inside the frame body 12, three partition wall portions 53 are provided on the rear side in the front-rear direction X, arranged between the side wall portions 52, and the housing holding space 56 is formed by each partition wall portion 53 and a pair of side wall portions 52.

[0022] Each side wall 52 and partition wall 53 forming each housing holding space 56 is provided with a lock arm 54 extending in the front-rear direction X. The lock arm 54 is composed of a piece that can be flexibly deformed in the width direction Y within the housing holding space 56. As a result, when the divided housing 20 is inserted into the housing holding space 56 from the rear side of the frame 11, the lock arm 54 engages with the engaged portion 23 of the divided housing 20, thereby holding the divided housing 20 within the housing holding space 56. As shown in Figure 4, the lock arms 54 provided within the same housing holding space 56 are positioned differently in the vertical direction Z.

[0023] The fitting space 57 is located inside the frame body 12, in front of the housing holding space 56. The fitting space 57 communicates with the four housing holding spaces 56 on the rear side. The divided housing 20 is positioned with its front side in the fitting space 57, with its rear side held in each housing holding space 56.

[0024] As shown in Figure 5, the rear end of the frame body 12 is provided with a plurality of first insertion grooves 58 extending in the front-rear direction X. Each first insertion groove 58 is a groove into which the protrusion 22 of the divided housing 20 is inserted, and is provided in the upper wall portion 50 and the lower wall portion 51 of the frame body 12, respectively, corresponding to each housing holding space 56. In this embodiment, the frame body 12 is provided with four first insertion grooves 58A, 58B. The first insertion groove 58A is a groove corresponding to the second insertion groove 43A, which will be described later, provided in the slide piece 40, and the first insertion groove 58B is a groove corresponding to the second insertion groove 43B, which will be described later, provided in the slide piece 40.

[0025] As shown in Figure 4, the front end of the flange portion 13 of the frame 11 is provided with a plurality of openings 59 extending in the front-rear direction X. Each opening 59 is a groove into which the mating protrusion 73 of the mating connector 70 is inserted, and is provided in the flange portion 13 at a position corresponding to the opening edge of the mating space 57. Specifically, in the flange portion 13, three openings 59 are provided at a position corresponding to the upper opening edge of the mating space 57, and three openings 59 are provided at a position corresponding to the lower opening edge.

[0026] As shown in Figure 3, a rotation shaft holding portion 14 is provided at one end of the frame body 12 in the width direction Y, which rotatably holds the rotation shaft 33 of the lever 30. At the other end of the frame body 12 in the width direction Y, a lever locking portion 15 is provided which locks the lever 30 when mating with the mating connector 70 is completed. The lever locking portion 15 comprises a locking piece 16 that extends in the width direction Y from the side wall portion 52 of the frame body 12, and a guide piece 17 that guides the lever 30. The locking piece 16 and the guide piece 17 are provided on the rear side of the side wall portion 52, and are the parts that lock the lever 30 when the lever 30 is at the third operating angle described later.

[0027] The lever 30 is a part that is rotated around one end of the frame 11 in the width direction as the center of rotation. As shown in Figure 3, the lever 30 is a component comprising a pair of arm portions 31 extending in the width direction and a connecting portion 32 connecting the pair of arm portions 31. At the ends of the pair of arm portions 31 that are not connected to the connecting portion 32, a rotation axis 33 is provided that extends inward from the arm portion 31 in the vertical direction Z. This rotation axis 33 is rotatably held by the rotation axis holding portion 14 of the frame body 12, as described earlier, thereby enabling the lever 30 to rotate in the front-rear direction X around this rotation axis 33. More specifically, the lever 30 is configured to rotate in the front-rear direction X around the rotation axis 33, behind the flange portion 13 of the frame 11 (i.e., the front end of the frame 11).

[0028] In the arm portion 31, an engagement shaft 34 is provided behind the rotation axis 33, extending inward in the vertical direction Z. The engagement shaft 34 slidably engages with the engagement groove 46 of the slide piece 40, which will be described later, and converts the rotational motion of the lever 30 around the rotation axis 33 into a sliding motion of the slide piece 40 in the width direction Y.

[0029] The connecting portion 32 of the lever 30 is provided with a lever-side locking portion 35 that locks onto the lever locking portion 15 of the frame body 12. The lever-side locking portion 35 is a part for locking the lever 30 to the frame body 12 when the lever 30 is operated to a third operating angle, which will be described later. In this embodiment, it is composed of an opening into which the locking piece 16 of the lever locking portion 15 is inserted.

[0030] In the connector 10 with the above configuration, as shown in Figure 1, each divided housing 20 is housed in the housing space 55 with its tip protruding from the front side of the frame 11. Therefore, if an external load is applied to the divided housing 20, there is a risk that the divided housing 20 may fall out of the frame 11. For example, there is a concern that a strong load may be applied to the tip of the divided housing 20 after the connector 10 is assembled or when the assembled connector 10 is transported. If the divided housing 20 falls out of the frame 11, the worker will have to reinsert the divided housing 20 into the frame 11 each time, which will reduce work efficiency. Therefore, in the connector 10, a pair of sliding pieces 40 that slide in the width direction Y in response to the operation of the lever 30 are provided inside the frame 11 (shown in Figure 7), and grooves provided in these sliding pieces 40 prevent the divided housing 20 from falling out of the frame 11.

[0031] As shown in Figure 6, the upper wall portion 50 and the lower wall portion 51 of the frame body 12 are hollow, and a slide piece holding space 60 is provided for holding the slide piece 40 so that it can slide in the width direction Y. The slide piece holding space 60 is a space that extends in the width direction Y inside the upper wall portion 50 and the lower wall portion 51. In addition, the lower surface on the front side of the upper wall portion 50 and the upper surface on the front side of the lower wall portion 51 of the frame body 12 are open, and the cam groove 45 of the slide piece 40 held in the slide piece holding space 60, which will be described later, is exposed.

[0032] As shown in Figure 7, the slide piece 40 held in the slide piece holding space 60 comprises a plate-shaped portion 41 extending in the width direction Y within the frame body 12 and a rearward protruding portion 42 extending intersectingly from the plate-shaped portion 41. A second insertion groove 43 extending in the front-rear direction X is provided at the rear end of the plate-shaped portion 41. The second insertion groove 43 is also the groove corresponding to the first insertion groove 58 of the frame body 12. In this embodiment, three second insertion grooves 43A are provided at the rear end of the plate-shaped portion 41, arranged in the width direction Y, and one second insertion groove 43B is provided on the rearward protruding portion 42.

[0033] On the back side of the plate-shaped portion 41, there is a retaining groove 44 that extends in the width direction Y and communicates with four second insertion grooves 43. The retaining groove 44 is a groove that holds the protrusions 22 of the divided housing 20, which are inserted into each second insertion groove 43, so that they can slide in the width direction Y.

[0034] The front end of the plate-shaped portion 41 is provided with a cam groove 45, which is a groove extending in the front-rear direction X into which the mating protrusion 73 of the mating connector 70 is inserted. In this embodiment, the front end of the plate-shaped portion 41 is provided with three cam grooves 45 arranged in the width direction Y, and each cam groove 45 corresponds to an opening 59 of the frame body 12. The mating protrusion 73 inserted into the cam groove 45 is held slidably inside the cam groove 45 in accordance with the sliding movement of the slide piece 40.

[0035] The surface of the rearward protruding piece 42 is provided with an engagement groove 46 that extends in the front-rear direction X and engages with the engagement shaft 34 of the lever 30. As a result, by rotating the lever 30 around the rotation axis 33, the position of the engagement shaft 34 located within the engagement groove 46 in the width direction Y is displaced, and the sliding piece 40 can be slid in the width direction Y.

[0036] (Assembly of split housing) Next, the process of assembling the split housing 20 to the frame 11 will be explained using Figures 8 and 9. First, the lever 30 is operated to a first operating angle relative to the frame 11 to set the slide piece 40 to a first position. Here, the first operating angle is the angle indicated by θ1 in Figure 8. In this first position, the slide piece 40 has its second insertion groove 43 aligned with the first insertion groove 58 of the frame 11 in the width direction Y. This makes it possible to insert each protrusion 22 of the split housing 20 into the first insertion groove 58 and the second insertion groove 43 from the rear side of the frame 11.

[0037] In this embodiment, the first operating angle is the angle obtained when the lever 30 is rotated such that the line segment passing through the rotation axis 33 and the approximate center of the connecting portion 32 in the front-rear direction X is approximately 0 degrees with respect to the width direction Y (shown as θ1 in Figure 8).

[0038] Each divided housing 20 is inserted into each housing holding space 56 from the rear side of the frame 11. At this time, since the opening of the first insertion groove 58A of the frame 11 is located in front of the second insertion groove 43A, the protrusion 22 of the divided housing 20 is inserted into the second insertion groove 43A of the slide piece 40 from the first insertion groove 58A. Also, since the opening of the second insertion groove 43B of the slide piece 40 is located in front of the first insertion groove 58B, the protrusion 22 is inserted into the first insertion groove 58B of the slide piece 40 from the second insertion groove 43B. As a result, the divided housing 20 is housed in the housing space 55. Furthermore, the engaged portion 23 of the divided housing 20 engages with the lock arm 54 provided in the housing holding space 56, and the divided housing 20 is locked in the housing space 55.

[0039] With each divided housing 20 housed in the housing space 55, the lever 30 is operated from a first operating angle to a second operating angle shown as θ2 in Figure 9 relative to the frame 11, thereby setting the slide piece 40 to the second position. As shown in Figure 9, in response to the rotational movement of the lever 30, the slide piece 40 slides within the frame body 12 in the width direction Y, causing the second insertion groove 43 to be positioned offset from the first insertion groove 58 in the width direction Y. At this time, in response to the sliding movement of the slide piece 40, each protrusion 22 of the divided housing 20 is held slidably within the retaining groove 44 provided in the slide piece 40. By offsetting each second insertion groove 43 from the first insertion groove 58 in the width direction Y, it is possible to prevent the protrusions 22 of the divided housing 20 from coming out of the first insertion groove 58 and the second insertion groove 43.

[0040] In this embodiment, the second operating angle is the angle obtained when the lever 30 is rotated such that the line segment passing through the rotation axis 33 and the approximate center of the connecting portion 32 in the front-rear direction X is approximately 45 degrees with respect to the width direction Y (shown as θ2 in Figure 9). Therefore, when assembling the split housing 20 to the frame 11, the lever 30 is pulled out from the front side relative to the frame 11.

[0041] When the lever 30 is held at the second operating angle relative to the frame 11, as shown in Figure 9, the cam groove 45 of the slide piece 40 aligns with the opening 59 of the frame 11 in the width direction Y at the front end of the frame 11. Therefore, the connector 10 can insert the mating protrusion 73 of the mating connector 70 into the cam groove 45 through the opening 59.

[0042] (Mating with the other connector) Next, the process of mating connector 10 with mating connector 70 will be explained using Figures 10 to 12. As shown in Figure 10, with the lever 30 held at the second operating angle relative to the frame 11, the tip of the mating mating portion 72 of the mating connector 70 is inserted into the mating space 57 to begin mating. At this time, the mating protrusion 73 provided on the mating mating portion 72 is inserted into the cam groove 45 provided on the slide piece 40 through the opening 59 of the frame 11.

[0043] In the partially mated state between connector 10 and mating connector 70, by operating the lever 30 from the second operating angle relative to the frame 11 to the third operating angle shown as θ3 in Figure 11, the slide piece 40 is slid in the width direction Y, inserting the mating protrusion 73 into the back of the cam groove 45. In other words, the third operating angle is also the mating completion angle at which the mating between connector 10 and mating connector 70 is completed by the lever 30. Here, the cam groove 45 provided in the slide piece 40 is inclined in the width direction Y as it moves to the rear, so in response to the operation of the lever 30 to the third operating angle, the slide piece 40 slides in the width direction Y (downward in Figure 11), drawing the mating portion 72 into the mating space 57.

[0044] In this embodiment, the third operating angle is the angle obtained when the lever 30 is rotated such that the line segment passing through the rotation axis 33 and the approximate center of the connecting portion 32 in the front-rear direction X is approximately 5 degrees with respect to the width direction Y (shown as θ3 in Figure 11). In other words, the third operating angle of the lever 30 is wider than the first operating angle and narrower than the second operating angle with respect to the width direction Y (θ1 < θ3 < θ2). Therefore, when fitting the connector 10 to the mating connector 70, the lever 30 is operated by pushing the lever 30 towards the frame 11. In other words, the operating direction of the lever 30 differs between the process of assembling the split housing 20 to the frame 11 and the process of fitting the connector 10 to the mating connector 70, making it easier for the worker to distinguish the operation of the lever 30 in each process.

[0045] As shown in Figure 11, when the lever 30 is operated to the third operating angle relative to the frame 11, the two parts are fully engaged. When the slide piece 40 is in the third position, the second insertion groove 43 remains offset from the first insertion groove 58 in the width direction Y, and the cam groove 45 is positioned offset from the opening 59 in the width direction. As a result, the frame 11 can hold the protrusion 22 of the split housing 20 with the retaining groove 44, while preventing the mating protrusion 73 from coming out of the cam groove 45.

[0046] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 12, when the lever 30 is operated to the third operating angle relative to the frame 11, the locking piece 16 of the lever locking portion 15 is inserted into the lever-side locking portion 35 provided on the connecting portion 32 of the lever 30, holding the lever 30 at the third operating angle. In the mating completed state, the tip of the mating-side mating portion 72 of the mating connector 70 abuts against each partition wall portion 53 within the mating space 57, thereby preventing the mating connector 70 from moving forward.

[0047] (Effects of the embodiment) The connector 10 according to this embodiment, as described above, provides the following effects. In the connector 10, when the operator operates the lever 30 from the first operating angle to the second operating angle to assemble the split housing 20 to the frame 11, the sliding piece 40 prevents the split housing 20 from falling out of the frame 11, and also enables mating with the mating connector 70. This prevents the split housing 20 from falling out of the frame 11 before the assembled connector 10 is mated with the mating connector 70, thereby improving the operator's work efficiency.

[0048] In connector 10, when lever 30 is at the second operating angle, the cam groove 45 of slide piece 40 aligns with the opening 59 in the width direction Y, allowing mating connector 70 to be fitted into split housing 20. On the other hand, when lever 30 moves from the second operating angle to the third operating angle, the first insertion groove 58 remains offset from the second insertion groove 43 in the width direction Y, and the cam groove 45 is positioned offset from the opening 59 in the width direction Y, preventing the mating side protrusion 73 of mating connector 70 from coming out of the cam groove 45. As a result, the operator can operate lever 30 to simultaneously prevent split housing 20 from coming out of frame 11 and to maintain mating with mating connector 70, further improving the operator's work efficiency.

[0049] In connector 10, after assembling the split housing 20 to the frame 11, the operating direction of the lever 30 in the process of mating the mating connector 70 to connector 10 is the opposite of the direction in which the split housing 20 is assembled to the frame 11. Therefore, the operator can distinguish the operation in each process and perform the work intuitively.

[0050] In the connector 10, the sliding piece 40 slides in opposite directions and by an amount corresponding to different operating angles during the process of assembling the split housing 20 to the frame 11 and the process of fitting it to the mating connector 70. Therefore, when operating the lever 30 from the second operating angle to the third operating angle, the sliding piece 40 can accommodate both the widthwise Y displacement between the second insertion groove 43 and the first insertion groove 58 and the widthwise Y displacement between the cam groove 45 and the opening 59 without increasing the widthwise Y dimension of the plate-shaped portion 41. This suppresses an increase in the widthwise dimension of the plate-shaped portion 41, and consequently, suppresses an increase in the size of the connector 10.

[0051] In connector 10, by locking the lever 30 to the lever locking part 15 after mating with the mating connector 70 is complete, it is possible to prevent the lever 30 from rotating from the third operating angle, which is the mating completion angle, toward the second operating angle, thereby preventing the mating with the mating connector 70 from being released.

[0052] The divided housing 20, which is housed in the storage space 55, is held in place by the lock arm 54 in addition to the sliding piece 40, thereby more firmly preventing the divided housing 20 from falling out of the frame 11.

[0053] (Other embodiments) The above embodiment can be implemented with the following modifications. The above embodiment and the following modifications can be combined with each other to the extent that they do not contradict each other technically. In the above embodiment, the frame 11 has an opening 59 at its front end, and when the slide piece 40 is in the second position, the cam groove 45 of the slide piece 40 and the opening 59 align in the width direction Y, enabling mating with the mating connector 70. Alternatively, the frame 11 may be configured in a way that enables mating with the mating connector 70 when it is in the second position, and it does not need to have an opening 59 at its front end.

[0054] In the above embodiment, the opening of the second insertion groove 43B of the slide piece 40 was located in front of the first insertion groove 58B. Alternatively, the slide piece 40 may not have the second insertion groove 43B, and the openings of all the second insertion grooves 43 may be located behind the first insertion groove 58B of the frame 11, similar to the second insertion groove 43A.

[0055] In the above embodiment, there were four divided housings 20 housed in the frame 11. The number of divided housings 20 is not limited to four; the number of divided housings 20 can be determined according to the use of the connector 10.

[0056] In the above embodiment, the frame 11 was provided with a lever locking portion 15 that engages with the lever 30 when it is operated to a third operating angle. The lever locking portion 15 only needs to be capable of engaging with the lever 30 when it is operated to a third operating angle, and does not need to be provided on the side wall portion 52 of the frame 11. In addition, the frame 11 does not need to be provided with a lever locking portion 15.

[0057] In the above embodiment, the connector 10 was equipped with a locking arm 54 in the housing space 55. Alternatively, the connector 10 may be provided without a locking arm 54 in the housing space 55. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0058] 10: Connector 11: Frame 12: Frame body 13: Flange section 14: Rotating shaft holding part 15: Lever locking part 20: Split Housing 21: Terminal housing section 22: Convex part 23: Engaged part 30: Lever 31: Arm section 32: Connection part 33: Rotation axis 34: Engagement axis 35: Lever-side locking portion 40: Slide piece 41: Plate-like part 42: Rear protruding piece 43A, 43B: Second insertion groove 44: Retaining groove 45: Cam groove (groove) 46: Engagement groove 50: Upper wall section 51: Lower wall section 52: Side wall section 53: Partition wall section 54: Lock Arm 55: Containment Space 56: Housing retention space 57: Mating space of the mating connector 58A, 58B: First insertion groove 59: Opening 60: Slide piece holding space 70: Mate connector 71: Opponent's Housing 72: Mating part 73: Opponent's protruding part

Claims

1. On the front side in the front-to-back direction, there are multiple segmented housings that can be mated with the mating connector, A frame having a housing space for accommodating the plurality of divided housings arranged in a width direction intersecting the front-rear direction, A slide piece is held in the frame so as to be slidable in the width direction, The slide piece is provided with a lever for sliding it in the width direction, The split housing is housed in the housing space with the front side that mates with the mating connector protruding from the frame. The divided housing is provided with a protrusion in the vertical direction, The frame is provided on the rear end side and includes a first insertion groove extending in the front-rear direction, The aforementioned slide piece is It is provided on the rear end side and has a second insertion groove that extends in the front-rear direction, When the lever is at a first operating angle with respect to the frame, the second insertion groove is positioned to align with the first insertion groove in the width direction, and the protrusion is inserted into the first and second insertion grooves, allowing the divided housing to be housed in the housing space. A connector wherein, when the lever is at a second operating angle with respect to the frame, the second insertion groove is positioned offset from the first insertion groove in the width direction, preventing the protrusion from coming out of the first and second insertion grooves, and enabling mating between the split housing and the mating connector on the front side.

2. The frame is provided on the front end side and has an opening into which the mating protrusion of the mating connector is inserted. The aforementioned slide piece is It is provided on the front end side and has a groove into which the opposing protrusion is inserted, When the lever is at the second operating angle, the groove is positioned to align with the opening in the width direction, allowing the mating protrusion to be inserted into the opening and the groove, thereby enabling the split housing and the mating connector to be fitted together. The connector according to claim 1, wherein when the lever moves from the second operating angle to the third operating angle relative to the frame, the first insertion groove remains offset from the second insertion groove in the width direction, and the groove portion is positioned offset from the opening in the width direction, thereby preventing the mating protrusion from coming out of the opening and the groove portion.

3. The lever is configured to be rotatable in the front-rear direction around a rotation axis provided on one end of the frame in the width direction. The second operating angle is a larger angle than the first operating angle with respect to the frame, with reference to the width direction. The connector according to claim 2, wherein the third operating angle is greater than the first operating angle and smaller than the second operating angle, with respect to the width direction.

4. The aforementioned slide piece is A plate-like portion extending in the width direction, with the second insertion groove provided at the rear end and the grooved portion provided at the front end, The plate-like portion comprises an engagement groove extending in the front-rear direction, The connector according to claim 3, wherein the lever is provided with an engagement shaft that, by engaging with the engagement groove, converts the rotation of the lever about the rotation axis into a sliding motion in the width direction of the plate-shaped portion.

5. The connector according to any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein the frame is provided with a lever locking portion for locking the lever at the third operating angle.

6. The connector according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the frame comprises a locking arm that engages with the divided housing housed in the housing space.

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